American Cruise Lines has acquired a 132-year-old Nichol steam calliope to be placed aboard its
brand new 150-guest paddlewheeler, Queen of the
Mississippi. The historic instrument, which originated from the
Washington, a paddlewheel steamboat that operated on the Mississippi and Ohio
River from 1880 to 1938, is being restored to full operation and
will then be installed aboard the Queen of the Mississippi.
The calliope will
not only serve as a reminder of the golden era of steamboating and the grandeur
of the historic steamboats of the late 1880s, the riverboat and small cruise ships operator says, but also as a
fully-functioning steam-powered instrument that will play familiar melodies and
sounds as Queen of the Mississippi makes her way up and down the Mississippi
River.
Once owned by the St. Louis-based Streekfus Line, the Washington
was built in Wheeling, W. Va., in 1880. Originally named Sidney, the historic
steamboat was renamed the Washington, the name it operated under until it was
dismantled in 1938.
The purchase of its calliope includes all its original brass
whistles and valves, keyboard, recordings and books, which have all been
preserved, and will soon be aboard Queen of the Mississippi. Unique to this
steam calliope only, is one elevated whistle that sits above the rest, an
uncommon feature that American Cruise Lines says is not known to be on any other
existing calliope.
“The instrument perfectly suits our new paddlewheeler,” says
Timothy Beebe, Vice President, American Cruise Lines, in a company press
release. “Blending both old and new, Queen of the Mississippi provides a truly
authentic and nostalgic cruise experience, while offering the best and most
comfortable accommodations ever available on the Mississippi River. Guests will
be truly delighted with the addition of this impressive piece of history."